Much of life on earth begins and ends with seeds. From the practical concerns of seed savers and collectors to the ancient lore, history, and biology of seeds, this is a must read for anyone interested in preserving seed biodiversity. Detailed advice on buying, storing and germinating, sterilizing soil, indoor to outdoor transplanting even building cold frames, is included. Blending science and hands-on experience, Seeds is fascinating, practical, and useful.

Peter Loewer is the contributing editor to Carolina Gardener magazine.

Majella Larochelle, a gentlemen of my acquaintance, has long been a seed collector. Everywhere he goes, the seeds are not far behind. A few years back, he gave me some paper packets containing seeds of a honeysuckle species (Loniceria ledebourii) from California, originally collected in England. One day in the greenhouse, working in haste as usual, I moved the packet and didnt notice that it accidentally fell behind a pile of catalogs on the work table. The catalogs and the seed packet sat there for two years. In that time the heat and light of the summer sun bleached the catalog colors from bright reds and yellows and greens to acid purples and off-blues, shriveling the paper in the process. The seed packet also had dried and shriveled; in fact, somewhere in recent history, it had been dotted with water. Majellas careful label was almost lost in grime. This year I planted the seeds, and within a month, they germinated. Soon, Ill have a rarity at least for this part of the world honeysuckle in the garden. Those honeysuckle seeds sat through all sorts of indignities, yet within each thin seed coat, living tissue managed to survive. The embryo, surrounded by the endosperm, put its life processes on hold. Within a state of suspended animation, the seeds contents still clung to life. Seed storage proteins, deposited within special cellular organelles called protein bodies, stood side by side with glycoproteins, amino acids, neutral lipids, triacylglycerols (once called triglycerides), proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other known (or perhaps to be discovered) substances all in a little brown nucleus about an eighth of an inch wide. Under the direction of the nuclei of individual cells, simple chemicals were organized into complex chemical units, replete with energy, ready to be released when the proper time came. The seed coat, or testa, is the wall that stands between the seed embryo and the outside world. Considering how important the contents are, the package varies quite a bit. In fact, many seed coats are so individual in character, they have been used to differentiate between different genera and species. Seed coats are often impregnated with fats or waxes that lend additional resilience and strength to their construction and that often lead to very effective waterproofing. In addition to the outer layer are one or more layers of thick-walled, protective cells. The seed coats of water lilies, mallows, many legumes, and several morning glories have such tough seed coats that the seeds are virtually impermeable to water and must be nicked by the gardener or soaked in warm water for twenty-four hours before they germinate. If these jackets are not broken, scratched, or eroded, water never enters and germination never begins. Gardeners are a patient lot, but after a time, theyll attack such seeds with a file or soakings, where in nature, time and exposure to the elements does the trick. Hard seed coats are softened by a

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Excerpted from Seeds: The Definitive Guide to Growing, History, and Lore by Peter Loewer
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